SEPTA: Nearly 5,800 riders took overnight city subways in first weekend

SEPTA rail operator Maurice Bey (left) collects fares from passengers boarding the Market-Frankford Line very early yesterday. This weekend began a pilot program to offer overnight subway service. (Joseph Kaczmarek / For the Daily News)

Brian X. McCrone, PHILLY.COM

Last updated:
Monday, June 16, 2014, 1:07 PM

Ridership on the first night of SEPTA's new overnight service along city subway lines far exceeded its normal Nite Owl service, the bus lines that operated in lieu of subways between midnight and 5 a.m.

SEPTA said 5,792 riders took the subway, a 35 percent increase over the average Nite Owl ridership of 4,301.

Transit police also reported no crimes were reported to SEPTA officers and none was observed by officers or staff during the five hours of new operation.

In less certain terms, SEPTA staff also reported "a lot of young people" riding the Market-Frankford and Broad Street lines, according to a press release Monday.

The subway trains on the two lines operated every 20 minutes from 12:01 to 5 a.m.

The overnight service will continue on weekends through Labor Day, SEPTA said.